Protective closure shell and funnel



June 26, 1956 A. NERGAARD 2,752,082

PROTECTIVE CLOSURE SHELL AND FUNNEL Filed Feb. 18, 1955 J72 0&7? for Jrnaia? firyaazn nited States Patent PROTECTIVE CLOSURE SHELL AND FUNNEL Arnold Nergaard, St. Charles, Iii.

Application February 18, 1953, Serial No. 337,567

7 Claims. (Cl. 226-31) The present invention relates to equipment for baseexchange water-softening, and in particular to that portion of its tank which provides an opening and a closure therefor which opening is used to introduce solid sodium chloride for the regeneration process.

When a bed of water softening material in certain systems is exhausted, it is necessary to open the tank and insert solid sodium chloride. The tank is then closed and a cycle of water-flow through the tank ensues. In consequence, the tank is designed to be opened and closed with the minimum of effort.

The present invention pertains to a portion of the closure structure which is so formed that it may be inverted to serve as a funnel for introducing the salt into the tank.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a structure capable of functioning as a part of the closure and also as a funnel.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a protective housing in the form of a tightening screw for the closure end of a construction which is suitable as a funnel when inverted for the opening which its screw keeps closed.

Various other and ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and explanation of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention as set forth in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a tank with its closure housing, showing certain parts in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 shows the closure housing of Fig. l in inverted portion for use as a funnel.

Fig. 3 is a plan view in cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the closure housing as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

It is to be understood that the invention may be made in other forms, and that the illustration in the drawing is not to be construed as a limitation of the invention.

In the drawing the numeral represents a conventional tank with extending neck 11 providing a wide opening 12.

The neck has a flat ring horizontal flange 13 for a gasket 14 between it and a disc cover 15 which is forced down on the gasket. A yoke 16 spans the disc 15 and has fingers 17 underlining the flange 13. A threaded bolt 25 is the conventional means threaded into the yoke to press the disc 15 into sealing position.

The present invention provides a protective shell or bell-like housing over the yoke and neck and carries the tightening bolt as an integral part thereof so that by turning the housing, the bolt is threaded into place. The relatively large diameter of the housing compared to the bolt permits the housing to substitute for a wrench conventionally used on the conventional small-headed bolt, for which function it is preferably a form of revolution about the axis of the bolt. The housing is specially constructed so that it may be inverted and usedas a funnel. v

Fig. 5 shows the preferred structure in cross section in its protective position. It has a major skirt portion of appreciable length preferably cylindrical as designated by the numeral 21. The skirt portion tapers inwardly as a hip portion 22 which then terminates in a relatively shorter coaxial cylindrical waist portion 23. Both ends of the structure are open and unobstructed except for bolt-mounting means integral with the inner wall, such as a cross bar 24 in which the conventional bolt 25 is fixedly carried in coaxial position at an enlargement 26 of the bar 24. The said cross bar is shown as carried by the side wall inside the shell and is located that the bolt 25 projects toward the larger end.

The hip portion 22 may have vertical wings 28 tofacilitate turning the shell in threading the bolt 25 into the yoke 16. The form and locations of the wings are such that the waist portion is unobstructed to a limited extent at its exterior side wall, for entering the waist portion in the opening 12 in using the structure as a funnel. When wings are provided, they may be so formed and located that they provide a rest for the funnel on the flange 13. Accordingly, the preferred wings are at least three in number and have a substantially horizontal portion 29 corresponding in general to the width of the flange 13 on which they rest, as shown in Fig. 2 wherein the structure is positioned for its use as a funnel.

The invention is not limited to the specific embodiment illustrated and described and may be changed in numerous respects without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A funnel-like structure having a side wall of revolution about an axis and open ends, one end being large and tapering therefrom toward the other end to a smaller opening, bolt-mounting means integral with and extending from the interior wall toward the axis of the structure in the vicinity of the smaller end, and a coaxial bolt fixedly carried by said means projecting toward said larger end.

2. A funnel-like structure having a side wall of revolution about an axis and open ends, one end being large and tapering therefrom toward the other end to a smaller opening, a bar integral with said structure and crossing said smaller opening, and a coaxial bolt fixedly carried by said bar projecting toward said larger end.

3. A funnel-like structure having a side wall of revolution about an axis and open ends, one end being large and tapering therefrom toward the other end to a smaller opening, said smaller opening being defined by a cylindrical wall unobstructed at its exterior for a short distance from the open end toward the larger end, boltmounting means integral with and extending from the interior wall toward the axis of the structure in the vicinity of the smaller end, and a coaxial bolt fixedly carried by said bar projecting toward said larger end.

4. A funnel-like structure having two open-ended coaxial cylindrical portions of relatively larger and smaller diameters connected by an integral wall structure, the larger portion being axially the longer to serve as the upper part of the structure when used as a funnel, bar means integral with said structure and within said funnel in the vicinity of the smaller end, and a threaded bolt coaxially and fixedly mounted in said means projecting toward the larger end.

5. A bell-shaped structure adapted for use as a funnel when inverted, and comprising a skirt portion, a hip portion, and a waist portion, said waist portion hav- Patented June 26, 1956- ing at least a short extent downwardly from its top unobstructed for insertion in an opening, bolt-mountingmeans within and integral with the structure in the vicinity of the waist portion, and a bolt fixedly mounted in' said means extending toward the skirt end.

7 6.'A'bell shaped structure as aform of revolution about an axis adapted for use as a funnel when inverted,

and comprising a skirt portion, 'a hip portion} and a waist portion, "said waist portion having at least a short extent downwardly from its top unobstructed 'for inser-' tion in an opening, bolt-mounting means in thevicinity of the waist'portion integral with the interior side wall and extending at least to the axis, and acoaxial bolt" skirt portion of size to house said yoke, having also a relatively smaller and relatively shorter neck portion ofsize to enter the opening in said tank neck when positioning the bell shaped body to function as a funnel into the tank, a bolt fixedly secured within said body in position to thread into said threaded opening while spanning said yoke when said body is inverted from funnel position, and means extending from an interior wall of the T body for fixedly mounting saidrbolt, whereby said body in one position serves as a bolt head to tighten the yoke in clamping position for the cover, and whereby on removal of the yoke and cover and upon inversion to a second position the saidbody serves as a'fun'nelinto the tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent V V UNITED STATES PATENTS Scolley June 14, 1892 1,020,602 Hami-ick Mar. '19, 1912 1,050,028 Iarrat Jan. 7, 1913 1,869,712 Palmer Aug. 2,1932 2,197,987 Rogers Apr, 23, 1940 

